All Discussions Tagged 'shifts' - JEMS Connect - EMS Emergency Medical Services2016-12-09T15:21:32Zhttp://connect.jems.com/forum/topic/listForTag?tag=shifts&feed=yes&xn_auth=noEMS Lawsuit settled recently...tag:connect.jems.com,2012-04-11:2559935:Topic:4993802012-04-11T22:29:48.388ZJohn Crossetthttp://connect.jems.com/profile/JohnCrossett
<p>I just finished read this interesting article.</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.carolinagatewayonline.com/content/ems-workers-win-15-million-lawsuit">http://www.carolinagatewayonline.com/content/ems-workers-win-15-million-lawsuit</a></p>
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<p>Sounds like they work 24 hours shifts and at least during sleep time they didn't get paid for the 8 hours. But because some night their sleep was interrupted and they could have a consecutive of 5 hours they didn't get paid for the full 8, which…</p>
<p>I just finished read this interesting article.</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.carolinagatewayonline.com/content/ems-workers-win-15-million-lawsuit">http://www.carolinagatewayonline.com/content/ems-workers-win-15-million-lawsuit</a></p>
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<p>Sounds like they work 24 hours shifts and at least during sleep time they didn't get paid for the 8 hours. But because some night their sleep was interrupted and they could have a consecutive of 5 hours they didn't get paid for the full 8, which is illegal. Also if their "engaged time" or "work time" was over 40 hours they weren't getting paid for overtime because the EMS service was using some type of fire schedule that let them average the weeks out. I encourage you to read the article to get more details.</p>
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<p>My question is:</p>
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<p>My EMS service sounds VERY similar to the one in the lawsuit.</p>
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<p>We work 24 hour shifts. Either 4-6 days in a row with either 1 or 2 days off. We go in to the shop at 8am, do our "shop time" till 4pm. Then we are feel to go, as long as we stay within a few minutes of the shop so if we get a call we can respond within 5 minutes. So most of us live in the town so we can go home to our families. So they say we are "on call" from 4pm to 8am. But we are only paid for 13 hour, 7 hours for our "shop time", then we get 6 hours of pay to be "on call" for the other 17 hours. And how they come up with 13 hours they say is they don't pay us to sleep, so 24 minus 8, and they don't pay us for breakfast lunch and dinner, an hour each, so 16 minus 3 = 13. Our hourly pay rates are the same for our "work time" and our "on call time". They don't tell us when our "sleep time" ends and starts. But I do think its a federal law from the FLSA saying if we don't get at least 5 hours of uninterrupted during our sleep time, the employer need to pay out the full 8 hours and not just the time worked. And many nights I get called at 2am for a transfer to Oklahoma City which is an hour and a half away, so over 3 hours there and back, and our sleep time is NEVER been paid in full. My other question is the "work time" versus "on call time", many weeks our work time is over 40 hours a week, and we NEVER get paid overtime. In the article I thought I read the EMS service was using some type of fire schedule so they didn't have to pay for the OT, but it was illegal.</p>
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<p>Now the article is written about an EMS service in one of the Carolinas. My service is in Oklahoma. The laws that made the EMS service illegal, are they Federal laws or State?</p>
<p>I'm trying to find out if my ems service is treating their employees fairly or not. Thank you.</p> Cranberry Sauce & Cardiac Arresttag:connect.jems.com,2010-11-24:2559935:Topic:3461392010-11-24T18:16:06.546ZJennifer Berryhttp://connect.jems.com/profile/Jennifer_Berry
<p>I'm curious how EMS providers across the country celebrate Thanksgiving if they're on shift. Is it business as usual, or do you have a feast? If so, do you make it, buy it or hope some grateful community member will bring you something delicious? </p>
<p>I'm curious how EMS providers across the country celebrate Thanksgiving if they're on shift. Is it business as usual, or do you have a feast? If so, do you make it, buy it or hope some grateful community member will bring you something delicious? </p>